The reality is that when going up against deep-pocketed, no-holds barred opponents like Big Food, Big Beverage and Big Agriculture, public health's focus on science and evidence is easily trumped by money and messaging.

Beginning with the idea that the MMR vaccine caused autism and moving to thimerosal and finally, too many vaccines causing autism, Dr. Offit outlines how media, politics and law have played a role in making parents around the country and the world fear one of public health's greatest contributions to human health.

There is something of majesty on "laying one's self down with a will," and there is something of strength in cloistering the body for the spirit's health's sake, but to die when all within is warm and clamorous for life is terrible.